In The Arms of the Ocean
by SanctuaryAgent
Summary: Based off the song Never Let Me Go by Florence and The Machines. When Emma jumps overboard in S2 EP1, Regina jumps in after her instead of Charming. (WARNING! NOT A HAPPY FIC. BUT THERE IS SWANQUEEN! MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH!) One-Shot


_**In The Arms of the Ocean**_

A/N: Okay, I know I still have updates to do on my other stories but I just had to do this one-shot after hearing this song. The song is Never Let Me Go by Florence and The Machines and it was on a SwanQueen fan video I was watching on YouTube. I just wanted to write this so badly and I am working on my other works too, I just won't be able to work on them this week because I'm going on a trip and computers will be unavailable. Also I recommend listening to Never Let Me Go while reading this; it is just such an emotional song. This is not a happy fic. just so you all know, there is MAJOR character death. This takes place when Emma jumps overboard in season 2 episode 1 during the storm, but instead of Charming jumping in to save her, it is Regina who jumps in.

_Regina looked up through the calming waters, watching as the dark clouds began to clear away and moon light hit the surface above her. She could just barely see the ship bobbing above her out of the corner of her eye; it was like a shadow in the distance. It could never compare to the beautiful sight above her, the clouds vanished and the moon and stars looked more alive than ever before._

_The water had felt so cold when she first jumped in; it felt like so long ago now even though it had been but mere moments. Now the gentle currents felt warm and comforting, like a soft blanket draped around her, keeping her safe and calming her. She had of course been struggling at first, but she had to in order to reach Emma. Now she didn't need to fight anymore, she couldn't fight anymore; she had given that task to Emma when she had pressed her lips to the blondes and given the savior her last breathe._

_The currents gently pulled her down and Regina did not fight against them, she had never felt this type of peace before. She saved Emma, she'd given the blonde the last breathe of air from her lungs, she'd used her last bit of energy to transport Emma onto the ship. Now she could rest._

_A small smile graced her lips as she thought of Emma. Regina could never have let the blonde drown, she had known that the moment she watched Emma go overboard. She would never let Emma go._

_She could feel the soothing embrace of the ocean around her; it was comforting like a mothers hug. Regina felt a dull stab of sorrow at that thought, she had never felt this type of comfort from Cora, she had never known an embrace this gentle from anyone. She had been through so much pain in her life; she had caused so much pain as well, she had done so many horrible things to so many people. Never had she imagined that after so much hurt and suffering that her final moments would feel so blissful. At the start they weren't, but after she saved Emma, after she gave everything so that her love could live, then the peace and warmth came to her. Almost like a reward for her final good deed._

_Her final good deed. Regina would have laughed at that if she were able, if she weren't so tired. It seemed like such an unreal thing that her last act was to save the savior, the woman she'd thought she hated but in the end had only ever loved. She'd had the choice, she could have held on to her last breathe and resurfaced. But that would have meant that Emma would have drowned. Now roles were reversed, she was drifting to the bottom of the ocean and Emma was up on the ship in the arms of her parents. Regina smiled slightly, she wouldn't have ever chosen for it to go any other way._

_It was the most serene Regina had ever felt, she never knew that death could be so gentle. She watched as the stars and moon grew further away and the ship became nothing more than a bobbing blur. She kept her eyes open; wanting to see the stars above before she would lie down and rest for a final time. _

_Silently she wondered if Henry would be alright, he had Emma, now he wouldn't have to feel like he could only love one mother at a time. Regina thought of Emma, of what it would have been like to live with her, to love her and be loved in return. She wondered if Emma could have ever loved her, if she could have ever seen past the darkness. _

_She had never felt Emma's arms wrapped lovingly around her, but Regina wanted to believe that it would feel much like this. She felt so safe in the invisible embrace of the ocean, she felt loved and wanted as she fell down into its arms. She could feel the ocean inside of her, flowing through her nose into her lungs and filling them, it hurt, but the pain felt so long ago. The water flowed through her body, claiming every part, all except for her heart because that would always be Emma's. And as she descended into the ocean's depths, Regina knew that her once small, ugly, dark heart was now beating a little brighter in its last beats._

_Sleep beckoned to Regina, calling her to close her eyes and let herself have her peace. She felt her eyelids drooping and felt a flutter of gratitude within her. Not because she was dying, but because in her last moments she had lived for something worth living for and now she was able to die for it too. She refused to think of this as her end, but merely as her resurrection because in her last act she became someone she hadn't been in a long time, she became simply Regina._

_She felt eased by the thought that her last action was one done by Regina, not the Evil Queen or the mayor, but the woman. She felt at peace that Emma had witnessed the part of her that was truly and unconditionally good. _

_Finally Regina closed her eyes, letting herself fully be taken into the arms of the ocean. She drifted slowly and soundlessly down through the dark water, her pale skin seeming to glow like a beacon in the darkness around her. And as she slipped away in the depths under the ship Regina was unaware of the sobs and anguished cries coming from the wooden vessel as Emma lay on the deck holding her hands over her heart, grieving for the woman she loved who was now lost to the arms of the ocean forever._

_Emma could still feel Regina's lips on hers as the woman had force air into her mouth. She could still feel the connection that had been made in that instant. She could still feel her hand weakly gripping Regina in a last effort to never let her go. And she could now feel an emptiness as Regina soul left her body and left Emma alone forever._

A Month Later-

Emma stood on the beach of Storybrooke, her tear filled eyes looking out into the water stretching before her. Her bare feet stood in the water letting it lap around her ankles and pull at her. A tear ran down her cheek as she took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. She pretended that she was standing on the beach of Neverland, she pretended that she had never been forced to leave Regina behind.

A broken sob escaped Emma's mouth as she felt the cold wind rush against her face, her tears stinging her cheeks. The salt in the air made her feel sick as she remembered the dark water around her tasting of salt as she drowned until suddenly it didn't; it tasted like Regina because it had been Regina. Regina had saved Emma and died in order to do so, and because of that Emma could never forgive herself. It had been her fault; she should have found another way to get everyone to stop fighting, she should have never jumped overboard; because if she hadn't, then maybe Regina would still be with her now.

Emma gasped and fell to her knees in the water, tears streaming down her face and wind tossing her long blonde hair. She wept and gasped for air, her nostrils burning from the horrible salt. She had let Regina go, and she had left her there, she had left her lying on the bottom of the ocean in Neverland. Emma could picture it so perfectly, her beautiful queen lying still on the bed of sand, her eyes closed as if she were asleep, her body preserved forever with what little magic was left in Neverland. Emma felt the water lapping at her knees and held her stomach as she cried hard and painfully. All she could smell was salt, until suddenly she smelled the sweet scent of apples and vanilla.

Emma's eyes widened and she looked up at the waves crashing against the shores of Storybrooke. Over the roar of the waves Emma thought she could hear something, it was distant, but still sweet and still there. Emma's lips spread in a watery smile as she listened to the beautiful laugh of Regina, knowing that her spirit was traveling the waters of all realms to reach her home, to reach Emma.

A/N: Hey guys, hope you liked this. The song really moves me and is a song that literally speaks in volumes to me. I know the story is sad but I figured if mermaids can travel through realms by using the sea then why couldn't Regina's spirit? I thought it was a beautiful way for her to find Emma again, even though Regina is truly gone forever but a small part of her will be in the waters. And Emma will be able to hear her if she truly wishes to listen. Love you all and please review and comment.


End file.
